Crews to replace water main on Soquel Drive: Yearlong project starts Monday

SOQUEL -- Work will begin next week on a yearlong project to replace a corroded water pipe along the 1.5-mile section of Soquel Drive between Main Street in Soquel and Cabrillo College.

The main has not been replaced since it was installed in the 1960s, leading to multiple failures dating back to at least 1995, with three breaks just in the past six months, according to Mike Wilson, associate civil engineer with the Soquel Creek Water District. Among the most significant was a break in 2008, at the corner of Park Avenue and Soquel Drive, with about 300,000 gallons lost as a result, he said.

Work will take place in 300- to 400-foot increments during daytime hours on weekdays starting Monday﻿, with possible nighttime work at some of the major intersections, said Melanie Carrido, construction manager with Covello Group, which has been contracted to complete the $4 million project. The old, cast iron pipes will be replaced with a more durable material, such as polyvinyl chloride plastic, Wilson said.

The Covello Group is working with the county to get a traffic control plan in place to minimize congestion, Carrido said. Meanwhile, notices have been sent out to nearby residences, businesses and schools alerting them to the project and advising them to use alternate routes when possible.

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The project is part of the district's 10-year plan to replace aging wells, water mains, build new treatment plants and other projects, at a cost of $63 million, according to Wilson. More than $25 million of those capital improvement projects are on tap during the next three years, and to help raise funds, officials have proposed a rate increase.

A public hearing will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday﻿ at Capitola City Hall, and if a majority of the district's ratepayers do not oppose it, the hike will go into effect for three years starting March 1. Officials expect to raise $4.7 million, according to Taj Dufour, the district's interim general manager.

WHAT: Work to replace a water main along a 1.5-mile section of Soquel Drive between Main Street in Soquel and Cabrillo College begins MondayWHEN: 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. weekdays, starting Monday, with expected completion in January 2014COST: $4 millionINFORMATION: 831-531-7545